diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/schema.php b/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
index a9d7f72962..1c61ded04d 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/schema.php
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ function populate_roles_160() {
 	add_role('subscriber', 'Subscriber');
 
 	// Add caps for Administrator role
-	$role =& get_role('administrator');
+	$role = get_role('administrator');
 	$role->add_cap('switch_themes');
 	$role->add_cap('edit_themes');
 	$role->add_cap('activate_plugins');
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ function populate_roles_160() {
 	$role->add_cap('level_0');
 
 	// Add caps for Editor role
-	$role =& get_role('editor');
+	$role = get_role('editor');
 	$role->add_cap('moderate_comments');
 	$role->add_cap('manage_categories');
 	$role->add_cap('manage_links');
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ function populate_roles_160() {
 	$role->add_cap('level_0');
 
 	// Add caps for Author role
-	$role =& get_role('author');
+	$role = get_role('author');
 	$role->add_cap('upload_files');
 	$role->add_cap('edit_posts');
 	$role->add_cap('edit_published_posts');
@@ -652,14 +652,14 @@ function populate_roles_160() {
 	$role->add_cap('level_0');
 
 	// Add caps for Contributor role
-	$role =& get_role('contributor');
+	$role = get_role('contributor');
 	$role->add_cap('edit_posts');
 	$role->add_cap('read');
 	$role->add_cap('level_1');
 	$role->add_cap('level_0');
 
 	// Add caps for Subscriber role
-	$role =& get_role('subscriber');
+	$role = get_role('subscriber');
 	$role->add_cap('read');
 	$role->add_cap('level_0');
 }
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ function populate_roles_160() {
 function populate_roles_210() {
 	$roles = array('administrator', 'editor');
 	foreach ($roles as $role) {
-		$role =& get_role($role);
+		$role = get_role($role);
 		if ( empty($role) )
 			continue;
 
@@ -693,19 +693,19 @@ function populate_roles_210() {
 		$role->add_cap('read_private_pages');
 	}
 
-	$role =& get_role('administrator');
+	$role = get_role('administrator');
 	if ( ! empty($role) ) {
 		$role->add_cap('delete_users');
 		$role->add_cap('create_users');
 	}
 
-	$role =& get_role('author');
+	$role = get_role('author');
 	if ( ! empty($role) ) {
 		$role->add_cap('delete_posts');
 		$role->add_cap('delete_published_posts');
 	}
 
-	$role =& get_role('contributor');
+	$role = get_role('contributor');
 	if ( ! empty($role) ) {
 		$role->add_cap('delete_posts');
 	}
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ function populate_roles_210() {
  * @since 2.3.0
  */
 function populate_roles_230() {
-	$role =& get_role( 'administrator' );
+	$role = get_role( 'administrator' );
 
 	if ( !empty( $role ) ) {
 		$role->add_cap( 'unfiltered_upload' );
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ function populate_roles_230() {
  * @since 2.5.0
  */
 function populate_roles_250() {
-	$role =& get_role( 'administrator' );
+	$role = get_role( 'administrator' );
 
 	if ( !empty( $role ) ) {
 		$role->add_cap( 'edit_dashboard' );
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ function populate_roles_250() {
  * @since 2.6.0
  */
 function populate_roles_260() {
-	$role =& get_role( 'administrator' );
+	$role = get_role( 'administrator' );
 
 	if ( !empty( $role ) ) {
 		$role->add_cap( 'update_plugins' );
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ function populate_roles_260() {
  * @since 2.7.0
  */
 function populate_roles_270() {
-	$role =& get_role( 'administrator' );
+	$role = get_role( 'administrator' );
 
 	if ( !empty( $role ) ) {
 		$role->add_cap( 'install_plugins' );
@@ -771,7 +771,7 @@ function populate_roles_270() {
  * @since 2.8.0
  */
 function populate_roles_280() {
-	$role =& get_role( 'administrator' );
+	$role = get_role( 'administrator' );
 
 	if ( !empty( $role ) ) {
 		$role->add_cap( 'install_themes' );
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ function populate_roles_280() {
  * @since 3.0.0
  */
 function populate_roles_300() {
-	$role =& get_role( 'administrator' );
+	$role = get_role( 'administrator' );
 
 	if ( !empty( $role ) ) {
 		$role->add_cap( 'update_core' );